Did God Help Seattle Win?

Russell Wilson gave tribute to God and even intimated that God helped/enabled the Seahawks defeat the Packers last week.

I admire that Russell Wilson gave glory to God in this post-game interview. I certainly appreciate that more than guys who thump their chest after making a big play. Did God enable Seattle to win? I don't know - God can do anything so far from me to question that it is not appropriate.  However, the following thoughts passed through my head.

1. God uses our weaknesses far more than our strengths. In weakness, God is most magnified. In weakness there is little else left in us besides God. In most cases, there is little doubt that God is behind it. In an athletic contest, it is pretty murky who is behind the results.
2. Victory in Jesus is based on the forces of darkness against the forces of light not the forces of light against the forces of light. Winners and losers are part of life but I would very much hesitate to say God picks winners at the expense of losers. I would like to think that the Packers would not believe that God is against them. See Aaron Rodgers assessment.
3. I can't think of a single Bible verse that references competition between parties. The domain of athletic contests is more based on preparation, self discipline, and competing according to the rules. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor. 9:24-27).
4. Often, a time gap exists after a point of failure when self reflection occurs and God is able to work through weakness.  Imagine a player pointing to the sky after a fumble or a missed field goal. I think such a player would likely be run out of town. But fast-forward years later and recovery refocuses on the inner strength God gives us to rebound. Consider Ernest Byner who now many years later from a devastating fumble in the AFC championship is able to write a book about it called "Everybody Fumbles". 
5. In the pages of scripture, success often is pointed in terms of spiritual disciplines. Joshua 1:8 talks about for example, Joshua meditating on the word of God day and night and then he would have success as he prepares to go into the promised land.

My Fake Friend

Around Christmas time, I received the following envelope.

Looks like a Christmas Card like the others we receive around the holidays. But I don't know a Chris Thomas in El Segundo, CA. so of course I opened it. And inside is this advertisement for Direct T.V.

I had been duped. As Ralphie would say in A Christmas Story, "A Crummy Commercial". Someone pretended to know me so they could get what they wanted from me. Isn't that terrible? Did not incline me to buy Direct TV at all.

Then the Holy Spirit prompted me in gentle, but firm words "but you do that to people to". I act in a way that is not much different than that envelope scam. As a businessman, I try to get people to do things for me and I can pretend to be interested in them or generate false compliments. In other words, I am not authentic. In the Greek language of the NT, the word hypocrite translated to an actor, someone who is false and fake. Jesus said do not be like the hypocrites, an actor.

Be authentic. Do things for people without expectation of return. Don't manipulate people. Don't be a hypocrite. That is what God requires of me and you.

The Age of Blame

"I'll make them pay"
"Serious lawyers for serious injuries"
"Had an accident - call the man with the bike"

And so on and on it goes. I never thought I would see the day where major media coverage is sponsored by personal injury lawyers. I see prevalence of personal injury lawyers as a symptom of a bigger problem. We are so quick to blame others and so reluctant to accept responsibility. As in everything, there is a balance.  There are situations where it is absolutely necessary to hire someone to represent you. But that should be a last resort, not the first line of thought. I think of my father-in-law who had very substandard care in a hospital before his death. But it is highly unlikely that his care would have changed the outcome. So is blame healthy in that situation? Probably not.

There must be a reason these guys are advertising so often. They are feeding into that "it's someone else's fault" mentality. What most people don't realize is that there is enormous collateral damage fostered by this atmosphere of blame. Costs of services go up exponentially because there is a cost to protect one's backside. Then you have to ask whether it is even worth it. Public services are quickly going away because of the threat of liability.

But I think the most insidious thing is the personal cost of the blame-game. Blaming and getting retribution is never healthy for someone. When Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive, he thought he was being generous when he said seven times. Jesus replied it is seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22).  In other words, unlimited. When we seek to blame others, it actually costs us. Strange as it may sound, it is so much healthier to give it up. More times than not, it is not worth for ourselves. If there is loss, absorbing the loss is actually better than fighting for the gain. This is particularly true for Christians where it is actually commanded by Paul to not seek justice where it can detract from personal relationship (1st Corinthians 6:1-8).

Watch Out - Danger Ahead!

The movie ended and we were exiting the theater. Something is amiss.

• People can't exit through the lobby - it is closed off
• Some people appear to not want to leave the theater
• Two police officers with unmuzzled police dog are on our left as we exit the theater
• 10+ police cars lining drive on both sides
• 4-6 police officers in front of main entrance talking to a group of kids and taking notes
• Another group of police officers by the street telling people to leave
• WAY too many young people, most of them guys, milling around
• Raised voices
• Palpable feeling of unrest

These are the clues that my wife told me I missed as we exited the Valley View Cinema on Friday night. Apparently there was a fight occurring just before our movie finished around 9:00. Read about it HERE. I was busy jabbering about how poor the movie was (The Hobbit - Part 3) and how shallow the character Legolas was and how Peter Jackson should have quit with Lord of the Rings....  I noticed kids congregating near the entrance but missed almost all of the clues that told me that things weren't normal. It was only when Debsue gave a gentle tug on my waistband of my pants indicating subtly to me that she was a little scared that I took my focus off of my individual tunnel and noticed the potential danger in front of me.

That little illustration reminded me of the dangers of tunnel vision when it comes to spiritual battles. Sin is "crouching at your door and its desire is to have you" (Gen. 4:7). Do you know that every day is a battle for your soul? Every day there are clues surrounding us that we live in a fallen world; that there is danger surrounding us. We are in serious warfare with an adversary that wants our soul.

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 2 Cor. 10:3-4

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Alertness is what is required. Don't be like me and be caught unaware. The good news is that if you know Christ, the war has already been one. But even though the war is won, the enemy still fights battles. Naivete and passivity leave us exposed. Be aware - be on the alert!

When a House Becomes a Home

We spent our last Christmas at the Frazier Court house in Wheaton this past week. This is the house where Debsue grew up and we have spent many special times there. This is Mimi and Papa's house; one that carries many memories. All of our girls were able to be there for one final Christmas. Deb's dad (Papa) die about a year ago and the house is simply too big for Mimi and she is moving to Florida.

The last day we started to clean stuff out of the cabinets and off the walls so that the painter can come and strip the wallpaper. The home once stripped of the things that made it into a home seemingly transformed into a house again. A house is a building, a place to live. A home is where people relate and share life together. That place will soon transition back from a home to a house. However the memories will carry on. We experienced the same thing when we cleaned out our Aurora home and transitioned to our new home in Brecksville.

I am not surprised that Jesus uses the metaphor of our heavenly dwelling as a home. In John 14, he talks about "dwelling places" in heaven. But what made it a home was that Jesus was going to prepare it for us and ultimately it was the fact that He will be there that made it into a home. A dwelling place is pretty exciting. I remember with great anticipation seeing our new house as it was being built in Aurora. But a home is for relationships and that is what makes it special.

Joy to the World - But Not Yet

During Christmas season, we sing familiar hymns and I think we become guilty of not really even looking at the lyrics. I don't know how many times I have sang "Joy to the World" and realized most of it isn't even about Christmas or the virgin birth at all.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

The first verse could apply to the virgin birth, but the last three verses clearly refer to the reign of Christ which is still to come. I think of what Paul says in Romans that "the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God"  (Rom. 8:19). Christ came into a broken world, but there will be a time when this broken world will be transformed, when "He comes to make His blessings flow". And that is worth singing about all year round.

All is Not Lost

Every person regardless of who they are will face adversity at some point or another. That is part of living under the curse of the fall. But it is also part of how we develop as human beings. God puts humans through adversity so that they can grow in dependence on him, but also so that they can help and encourage others.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 
2 Cor 1:3-4

A number of weeks ago I watched the movie All is Lost starring Robert Redford. I knew the premise of the movie going in, but I never realized how empty a movie can be without knowing how the characters background and how they respond to adversity. The only inkling we have in this movie of the character is the brief time in the beginning where we see a note that tells he is sorry. They could have easily put a robot in the role. There was no human character to identify with.

We need many questions answered about this guy:

• Why was in the boat making the trip?
• Who were the people that cared about him?
• What was his faith?
• Did he have regrets?

Spoiler alert - in the end he is rescued, but I found myself not really caring whether he did or not without knowing who this guy is. We root for those who go through adversity and come out better people. A persons character comes out when we see them in the crucible - in a trial by fire. As the verses say - it strengthens our relationship with a heavenly Father and with others. Otherwise, all indeed is lost.